Idled planes due to coronavirus now parked in Blytheville

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A northeast Arkansas aviation company is providing space to park planes that have been idled due to a global slowdown in commercial air traffic because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Aviation Repair Technologies at the Arkansas Aeroplex in Blytheville, formerly an Air Force base, currently has 77 parked aircraft and has space for 30 more, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Only a 90-minute flight from Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Delta turned to Aviation Repair Technologies as an additional storage place for their aircraft after the lack of demand with current travel restrictions forced the company to cut their service in April by 90%.

Delta has had to park 600 of its 900 aircraft; the five parked at the Arkansas Aeroplex include wide-body aircraft that can seat more than 300 passengers.

Aviation Repair Technologies offers two types of aircraft storage — short term from one to 20 days, or long-term in which the jet is “wrapped” to preserve the aircraft, its engines and auxiliary power units, according to the company’s website.

Their line of work, in addition to aircraft storage, also includes heavy maintenance, taking apart aircraft at the end of their usefulness and keeping an inventory of spare parts for the airlines.